West Suffolk: Havebury Housing agrees improvement programme deal

NATIONAL construction consultancy Pick Everard, which has an office in Bury St Edmunds, has been appointed by the Havebury Housing Partnership to help with its property improvement programme over the next three years.

Pick Everard was selected as the housing association’s preferred service provider following a tender process and will provide consultancy services in building maintenance, including project management, building surveying and structural engineering.

Havebury manages more than 6,000 houses and flats in towns and villages around Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill. The charity and not-for-profit association works closely with local authorities, agencies and other housing associations to meet local social housing needs.

The first project to get underway includes roofline works for 200 properties and chimney removal for 50 properties. Havebury has also applied for Eco funding for the external insulation of up to 100 properties estimated at £1million. It is hoped this funding will be expanded to allow a three-year programme of work. In addition, Pick Everard will examine several properties requiring structural evaluation, repair or conversion.

Pick Everard director Paul Darlow said: “This is the first major framework contract we have held with Havebury Housing Partnership and we are delighted to have been selected for a major programme that will benefit social housing.

“We are looking forward to establishing an ongoing partnership which will help us to further expand in the social housing sector.”

Havebury’s head of assets, Matthew Dick, added: “Pick Everard gave us confidence in their ability to deliver the services we require for our capital improvement projects. They fully understood our requirements and offered the best balance of quality and cost. We are looking forward to working with the team in the coming years.”